'These People Seek Refuge for a Better and Safer Life for Their Families'

This interview is part of Broadly's Voices Against the Ban series. You can read more of these voices here.

Broadly: Why do you oppose Trump's immigration restrictions?

Saadia, 39, Toronto: As an immigrant whose family sought refuge in Canada from the political strife in Pakistan, people being refused safety solely on the grounds of their country of origin is racist and reprehensible. These people seek refuge for a better and safer life for their families; they want to work and pay taxes and be able to sleep in peace at night. It is inhumane to deny them that because white supremacists can only feel valued when their boots rest on others' throats.

How do these new restrictions impact you or your family?

I know family and friends who are now unsure of whether they will be able to continue working their jobs because they are in the US on H1-B visas. Their families are stressed because they aren't sure if they can travel to be with gravely-ill parents, and the ones that are not from one of the seven countries named in the executive order are waiting for the shoe to drop, because what's stopping them from adding other countries and criteria to this list?

"If I could tell President Trump one thing about these immigration restrictions, I would say…"

You can't undo your feelings of inadequacy if you continue being a puppet to white supremacist megalomaniacs.

This interview has been edited and condensed.